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Take Action: Stop Surprise Medical Bills

Posted March 2, 2014 by Amanda

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What is the problem?

If you go to an “in-network” hospital or clinic or have a medical emergency, you have every reason to assume your care will be covered. But, often this is not the case. Every year, thousands of New Yorkers receive out-of-network services without their knowledge – and are stuck with the bill. They are left to fend for themselves in negotiations with their insurance plans when their doctor and their plan can’t agree on a fair price for the services.

“Surprise” medical bills can place significant financial strain on families. Almost two-thirds of personal bankruptcies are related to medical debt. These bills hurt families, which is just not fair.

What is the solution?

Governor Cuomo’s Executive Budget includes a comprehensive solution. If passed, New York State law would protect consumers from surprise bills and expand consumer rights and protections for out-of-network services, by:

Holding consumers harmless for surprise bills from emergency room or out-of-network charges that were outside of their control, and taking consumers out of the middle of billing disputes between their doctors and their insurance plans;

Requiring all products to meet a set of provider network adequacy standards, so fewer end up seeing out-of-network providers; and

Allowing consumers to go out-of-network when their plan’s provider network doesn’t have a specialist who meets their medical needs.

How can you take action to stop surprise medical bills?

1. Tell your legislator to stop surprise medical bills

Email, call and write your New York State Assembly Member and Senator, and urge them to support Gov. Cuomo’s proposed bill to protect consumers against surprise medical bills. If you have experienced a surprise bill or know of someone who has, make sure to share your story.